S1 Elise Values
Discussion
Interesting. I had my first S1 in 1998. I exited Lotus ownership in 2002 only to come back in 2016. Never loved the S2 I had ( an early Y plate car in 2001) and a 111S in 02. The S3 goes well but I'd want the post 17 gear change, carbon seats and trim at which point they are getting on £40k and dumping you in the envy tax band.
The MMC and 111S I have look almost identical but drive surprisingly differently. I maintain as I said earlier, if you want an S1 you probably don't want anything else. Come on buyer, where are you??
The MMC and 111S I have look almost identical but drive surprisingly differently. I maintain as I said earlier, if you want an S1 you probably don't want anything else. Come on buyer, where are you??
On the plus side, we could be stuck with a lot worse cars, at least can still go out in them and enjoy the summer
If all else fails we will just have to cover them over for the winter and try again in spring
Most people who are selling Elises have another car for daily duty so will be in no rush to reduce the price to sell
If all else fails we will just have to cover them over for the winter and try again in spring
Most people who are selling Elises have another car for daily duty so will be in no rush to reduce the price to sell
I know my question isn't exactly on-topic, but it is about is the S1 and it seemed pointless starting a new thread for this.
Is there more footwell space in an S1 than an S2? I've just test driven an S2 and found the footwell quite narrow at the pedals (the widening of the sill towards the front of the car forced my right leg inwards) but looking at S1 pictures, it doesn't look as tight? I am aware that all Elises are effectively the same underneath so I thought this unlikely, but it certainly appears that way in photos.
Is there more footwell space in an S1 than an S2? I've just test driven an S2 and found the footwell quite narrow at the pedals (the widening of the sill towards the front of the car forced my right leg inwards) but looking at S1 pictures, it doesn't look as tight? I am aware that all Elises are effectively the same underneath so I thought this unlikely, but it certainly appears that way in photos.
highway said:
Circa 2005 S1 prices were a dumpster fire. Not surprised you got out ahead. Tidy cars must be getting rare now.
Having had two S1s over the years I’d say prices are getting a bit silly these days. Easy to get caught up in the moment and make a heart based purchase but when the head eventually kicks in to gear you’d be crying after paying high teens for one.Easy to male comments like that and many do. Like many cars these were cheap for a long time. Fact is they, like many other 90’s cars, are getting few in number. Many don’t care for S2 styling and there aren’t loads of S1’s left that haven’t been damaged in the past or covered big miles.
I think the market has cooled and I think selling a sub 10k miles car at over £20k likely isn’t easy. I don’t think the good S1’s that ate left ever get super cheap again though. I certainly hope not anyway as I have 2!
I think the market has cooled and I think selling a sub 10k miles car at over £20k likely isn’t easy. I don’t think the good S1’s that ate left ever get super cheap again though. I certainly hope not anyway as I have 2!
To me it seems like there are three different markets for S1s
- cars with 50k + miles which generally have refreshed/upgraded suspension, some upgrades and common issues (ie HGF) fixed. Buyers who actually want to drive the car will probably go for something in this bracket as adding more miles won’t immediately kill the value and running costs are likely to be sensible.
- cars with < 15k miles with high originality which will eventually be picked up by collectors or speculators to stick in an air conditioned garage. Not a huge market so slow but there is a market.
- cars in between with 20-40k miles that people are still asking a premium for due to ‘low’ miles but don’t generally have many of the common issues fixed, still on konis etc. ‘Drivers’ don’t want to pay the premium for lowish miles/less bits fixed/potential bills to refresh, and collectors/speculators aren’t interested.
- cars with 50k + miles which generally have refreshed/upgraded suspension, some upgrades and common issues (ie HGF) fixed. Buyers who actually want to drive the car will probably go for something in this bracket as adding more miles won’t immediately kill the value and running costs are likely to be sensible.
- cars with < 15k miles with high originality which will eventually be picked up by collectors or speculators to stick in an air conditioned garage. Not a huge market so slow but there is a market.
- cars in between with 20-40k miles that people are still asking a premium for due to ‘low’ miles but don’t generally have many of the common issues fixed, still on konis etc. ‘Drivers’ don’t want to pay the premium for lowish miles/less bits fixed/potential bills to refresh, and collectors/speculators aren’t interested.
antiok said:
To me it seems like there are three different markets for S1s
- cars with 50k + miles which generally have refreshed/upgraded suspension, some upgrades and common issues (ie HGF) fixed. Buyers who actually want to drive the car will probably go for something in this bracket as adding more miles won’t immediately kill the value and running costs are likely to be sensible.
- cars with < 15k miles with high originality which will eventually be picked up by collectors or speculators to stick in an air conditioned garage. Not a huge market so slow but there is a market.
- cars in between with 20-40k miles that people are still asking a premium for due to ‘low’ miles but don’t generally have many of the common issues fixed, still on konis etc. ‘Drivers’ don’t want to pay the premium for lowish miles/less bits fixed/potential bills to refresh, and collectors/speculators aren’t interested.
Absolutely this. I'm a buyer in the first category. They don't come up for sale very often! - cars with 50k + miles which generally have refreshed/upgraded suspension, some upgrades and common issues (ie HGF) fixed. Buyers who actually want to drive the car will probably go for something in this bracket as adding more miles won’t immediately kill the value and running costs are likely to be sensible.
- cars with < 15k miles with high originality which will eventually be picked up by collectors or speculators to stick in an air conditioned garage. Not a huge market so slow but there is a market.
- cars in between with 20-40k miles that people are still asking a premium for due to ‘low’ miles but don’t generally have many of the common issues fixed, still on konis etc. ‘Drivers’ don’t want to pay the premium for lowish miles/less bits fixed/potential bills to refresh, and collectors/speculators aren’t interested.
But if a car with 50-60k is £13k, isn’t £16k -17k cheap for a car with a third of the miles and correspondingly less cosmetic wear. Not like the premium is enormous.
I’d always prefer a looked after low miles car than one with big miles. Provenance being equal. If a leggy car has had lots of remedial work done it doesn’t mean a low miles car hasn’t.
I’d always prefer a looked after low miles car than one with big miles. Provenance being equal. If a leggy car has had lots of remedial work done it doesn’t mean a low miles car hasn’t.
daveb99 said:
...., there's a Scandal Green 160 on PH classifieds currently but it has had suspension/chassis damage and was originally black, not green. That will sit there forever - I rang up last year about it and they wouldn’t even give me the reg, once I explained I’d had 5 Lotuses and liked to do my research....
Aaah, that explains it Dave, it did have me wondering as it seemed like one that would sell quickly but didn’t...Edited by daveb99 on Thursday 11th July 18:56
Edited by daveb99 on Thursday 11th July 20:17
As you may have noticed, I didn’t advertise mine on PH, didn’t see the point with the market being quite dead. That thing about not needing to sell it and may as well enjoy it whilst it theoretically goes up in value. Possibly 🙂
highway said:
But if a car with 50-60k is £13k, isn’t £16k -17k cheap for a car with a third of the miles and correspondingly less cosmetic wear. Not like the premium is enormous.
I’d always prefer a looked after low miles car than one with big miles. Provenance being equal. If a leggy car has had lots of remedial work done it doesn’t mean a low miles car hasn’t.
Mileage isn't everything agreed, but generally a 20-30k mile car hasn't had much in way of upgrades to the original crap bits and they are all 20 years old now... If you actually want a car you can reliably use for road and maybe a track day or two a year you'd probably want -I’d always prefer a looked after low miles car than one with big miles. Provenance being equal. If a leggy car has had lots of remedial work done it doesn’t mean a low miles car hasn’t.
- upgrade from original Konis + suspension refresh (rubber degrades) = £2k at least with basic S2 Bilsteins, more for something appropriate for track
- aluminium radiator / prrt to minimise risk of HGF (if it hasn't already happened) = £1k (by time clam comes off and you replace all the other bits that rot over time) + another £1k risk down the line if HGF hasn't already been dealt with.
- Decent, recent tyres (lower mileage cars tend to have aged tyres as less need to replace) - £500
- A decent set of toe links = £300 +
- A half decent exhaust (original is garbage and heavy) = £500
So before you know it you might need to spend £4k to get the original car in shape for decent use.
Obviously this is going to vary car to car but this is why I think 'original' cars with more than collector level miles may be less desirable to buyers who actually want to drive them.
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